How to resign

Deciding to leave your employer isn’t easy. But once you’ve made the decision to leave, you’ll need to go through some formalities. Whilst telling your employer can be daunting, ensuring you handle the process efficiently and professionally is vital. Here are some tips from some of our specialist consultants.

Prior to resignation

Ahead of handing in your resignation, review your contract to double check how much notice you are obliged to give. If you’ve already found another job, make sure your new employer is aware of the date you’re available from.

It’s also worth reading up on how your employer deals with final salary entitlement, holiday allowance and any potential clawback, so that you know what to expect with your last pay packet.

Penning your resignation letter

Your letter should be professionally worded and concise, detailing the position you’re resigning from and the date you intend to leave. You may also like to note what you have enjoyed about the role and how it’s helped you progress.

Counter offers

Your employer may try to encourage you to stay with the company, by offering you a promotion or a salary increase. If you’re genuinely unhappy with the company or your career direction, it’s unlikely that more money or greater responsibility will change your mind. However, if you feel that your reasons for leaving can be overcome, then it may be worth considering a counter-offer as a way to avoid the upheaval of changing employment. If you are offered an incentive which makes you want to stay, make sure your employer puts the counter offer in writing before you officially accept.

Always leave on good terms

It’s important to remain professional throughout the process and maintaining a positive relationship with your manager and colleagues is vital. It’ll make working your notice period easier and could allow you to return to this employer in the future, should the opportunity arise.

In the event there’s a dispute with the final settlement, the way you’ve conducted yourself throughout should have an impact on how this will be handled by your employer.